Overview

Maria Luggau is the much frequented religious centre of the valley and is a pilgrimage destination well known far beyond Carinthia’s borders. As much and as far away known this secluded and wild-romantic piece of mountain nature is now, as unknown and nameless it was before it became a pilgrimage destination in the 16th century.

Amidst green meadows, situated on a wide plain, with dark forests to the north as boundary and protected by the majestic rocky sidewalls of the Southern Lienz Dolomites lies the Lesachtal valley’s largest enclosed village.

This friendly place is located on a crest which slightly ascends from east to west and where a steep descending rift at the western edge passes from Liesing into Klebas, a village only a few metres away in western direction. The birthplace of the famous scholar Univ.- Prof. Dr. Matthias von Lexer used to be located in that rift.

Situated half on a terrace and half on a slope, this scenic village offers a view to the villages of Nostra and Wodmaier, which are located opposite, as well as into the romantic Volaia Valley and to the Plenge. Birnbaum is the perfect starting point for many hiking tours.

The small Lesachtal Valley village of St. Jakob is situated in 948 m above sea level and is the "Gate to the Lesachtal Valley". Starting in Kötschach and using an alpine road with many serpentines and beautiful views, the village can be reached within 10-15 minutes. A special excursion destination and one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Lesachtal Valley is the Mussen (1950m) - the "Flower Mountain Carinthia‘s" which is characterised by its rich botanic diversity.

The Lesachtal Valley stretches also across East Tyrol. Nestling between the Carnic Alps and the Lienz Dolomites, one of the Alps most beautiful high mountain valleys can be found here. Information about the locations in the East Tyrolean part of the Lesachtal Valley can be found by using the following links.